Snow clearing device



Cfl-r-romronY/ Jan. 22, 1963 R. E. ETNYRE SNOW CLEARING DEVICE Filed Aug. 3, 1960 United States Patent ()1 3,074,188 SNQW CLEARING DEVICE Robert E. Etnyre, E. D. Etnyre & (30., Oregon, Ill. Fiierl Aug. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 47,285 3 Claims. (Cl. 37-43) This invention relates to a snow clearing device of the type adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and pushed along a path such as a roadway or the like. More partic-ularly the invention relates to a device having a scoop for removing snow from the path and an impelling apparatus for throwing the snow to one side of the path.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which requires less power to operate as compared to prior devices of this type.

Another object is to provide a scoop constructed in a novel manner and operable to compact the snow to increase its density whereby less volume is handled and the compacted snow forms a cover on the banks of snow at the side of the path to retard drifting of the latter over the cleared path.

The invention also resides in the novel construction of the impelling apparatus utilizing a screw rotated at relatively high speeds to impell the snow axially of the screw.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a snow clearing device embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the impelling apparatus, parts being broken away and shown in section.

--FIG.- 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

The present invention is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration embodied in a snow clearing device for use in removing snow from a path such as a roadway or the like. The device 14} is mounted on a frame 11 attached to the front end of a vehicle 12 such as a truck which pushes the device 10 through the snow. As the device 19 is moved along the path, the snow is collected in a scoop 13 and directed into an impelling apparatus 14 which throws the snow upwardly and to one side of the path. The impelling apparatus 14- is driven by a motor 15 mounted on the frame 11 and operatively coupled to the apparatus.

The present invention contemplates a snow clearing device of the above character which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and which requires less power to throw the snow than prior devices of this type. In addition, as the snow passe through the device, it is compacted to a limited degree and thus has less tendency to blow back over the vehicle pushing the device and also provides somewhat of a cover on the drifts of snow at the side of the path to reduce the tendency of the snow to drift back over the cleared path.

For these purposes, the scoop 13 at the leading edge of the device 18 diverges outwardly to clear a relatively wide path and to cam the snow inwardly through a comparatively small inlet opening 16 in the impeller device 14. Compaction of the snow takes place as it is directed into the impelling device. The latter includes a rotatable screw 17 enclosed in a casing 18 which directs the snow upwardly and to one side of the path. The screw 17 is rotated at relatively high speeds to throw the snow well beyond the side of the path and thus to distribute it over a substantially large area to prevent the formation of snow banks such as would permit drifting of the snow back over the path. By utilizing a screw 17 as an im- "ice peller, substantially less horsepower is required to throw the snow as compared to the conventional paddle Wheel type blower.

In the present instance, the casing 18 of the impelling device 14 is tubular having a cylindrical wall 19 defining an axial passage 20 and an end wall 21, the other end being open to define a discharge outlet 22. The casing 18 is mounted on the frame 11 with its axis extending transversely to the path and inclined upwardly from the path, the end wall 21 being adjacent the ground. The inlet opening 16 is formed in the cylindrical wall 19 to extend along the forward side of the wall and the bottom of the wall. A lip portion 23 at the back side of the opening 16 extends downwardly to a point adjacent the path to push the snow ahead of the lip as the device 11) is moved through the snow.

To gather the snow over a relatively wide path, a path at least wider than the vehicle 12, and to direct the gathered snow to the relatively small inlet opening 16 of the casing 13, the scoop 13 diverges outwardly and forwardly of the opening 16 and is fixed to the cylindrical wall 19 adjacent the top and sides of the opening. Herein, the scoop includes side walls 24 and an arcuate top wall 25. The bottom side of the scoop 13 is open and the bottom edges of the side walls 24 ride over the ground to scrape the snow from the path.

The scoop 13 is mounted on the leading end of the frame 11 in front of the casing 18 and, as noted above, cams the snow inwardly toward the center of the scoop and through the inlet opening 16 in the casing. This camming action compacts the snow thus increasing its density which results in the advantages outlined above such as decreasing the volume of snow to be handled and providing a cover for the snow banlcs adjacent the cleared path.

The arcuate top wall 25 of the scoop 13 spans the side walls 24 and extends from the opening 16 along the side Walls to terminate at a point spaced behind the leading edge of the latter. The top wall 25 also diverges outwardly of the casing, that is, the radius at the outer end is greater than at the end adjacent the opening 16. Thus, the top wall 25 aids in compacting the snow as the latter is guided to the casing 18. Under ordinary conditions, as the snow is collected into the scoop 13 the depth thereof is increased whereby the snow is engaged by the top wall 25. Further movement of the device 19 through the snow packs the snow between the side walls 24 and the top wall 25 as the walls guide the snow through the opening 16.

Upon entering the casing 13 through the opening 16, the snow is picked up by the screw 17 and accelerated axially of the screw along the passage 20 and toward the discharge outlet 22 of the casing. The screw is rotated counterclockwise which also aids in compacting the snow (FIG. 2). The snow is sufiiciently accelerated to impact momentum to the snow of great enough magnitude to carry it Well beyond the discharge outlet.

Herein, the screw 17 is fixed to a shaft 26 extending along the axis of the casing 18 and projecting through the end wall 21 of the casing. The shaft 26 is journaled in two bearings 27 and 23 spaced apart along the shaft with one bearing 27 mounted on the end wall 21 and the other bearing 28 fixed to the frame 11. Rotation is imparted to the shaft 26 by a motor 15, such as a small horsepower gasoline engine, mounted on the frame 11 adjacent the shaft 26 and coupled to the latter through the medium. of a drive chain 29 wrapped around a driven sprocket 3d fixed to the shaft and a driving sprocket 31 fixed to the drive shaft of the motor 15.

The helical flights of the screw 17 are wrapped around the shaft 26 and extend the length of the latter. In the present instance, a single pitch screw 17 is utilized having an outside diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the casing 18. By rotating the screw 17 at high speed, the latter acts as an impeller to throw the snow. Thus, the scoop 13 and the screw 17 act together as a relatively simple but efiicient and eifective means for removing snow from a path and depositing the snow at the side of the path.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a snow clearing device adapted for mounting on the front end of a vehicle to be pushed by the latter along a path to be cleared, the combination of, a frame adapted to the mounted on the front of said vehicle, a tubular casing having a cylindrical side wall defining an axial passage and an end wall at one end of the passage, said passage opening axially at the other end and said casing being mounted on said frame to extend transversely of said path and being inclined upwardly from the path with the closed end lower than the opposite end, a scoop fixed to said frame in advance or said casing and having side walls diverging outwardly from said casing to direct the snow inwardly, said casing having an opening cornrnunicating with the interior of said scoop, a single-pitch screw disposed in said passage and journ'aled on said frame to rotate about a predetermined axis, and power means rotating said screw at a speed sutficient to impel the snow axially through the open end of said pass-age and beyond said path.

2. In a snow clearing device adapted for mounting on the front end of a vehicle to be pushed by the latter along a path :to be cleared, said device having, in combination, a frame adapted :to be mounted on the front of said ve hicle to extend outwardly therefrom, a casing mounted on said frame and extending transversely to said path, said casing having a cylindrical side wall and an end wall-and being inclined upwardly from said path with said end wall adjacent the path, a scoop fixed to the leading end of said frame and having a conical top wall and side walls diverging outwardly from said casing, said frame supporting said scoop with the lower edges of said side walls closely adjacent the'surface' of said path and said casing having an opening communicating Cit with the interior of said scoop with the opening closely adjacent the lower edges of the side walls of the scoop, a screw disposed in said casing adjacent said end wall and journaled on said frame to rotate about a fixed axis, and means rotating said screw at high speed to throw snow out of the upper end of said casing and away fIom said vehicle, said screw having a'helical flight extending through not more than ohe pitch whereby said flight acts as an impeller rather than a conveyor,

3. A snow clearing device mountable on a vehicle to he pushed thereby along a path to be cleared, said device including, in combination, a frame adapted to be mounted on the vehicle, a casing on said frame having a wall defining a passage extending transversely of said path and inclined upwardly and to one side of the path with the upper end of the passage open, a scoop fixed to said casing and having sidewalls diverging forwardly from the casing, the latter having an inlet opening communic'ating' with the lower end of said passage and with the interior of saidscoopwhreby said diverging walls cam show inwardly and into the lower end of the passage as the device is advanced along said path, ars'crew disposed in said passage adjacent the lower end thereof and jonrnaled on the device to rotate about an axis extending. longitudinally of the passage,- and means for rotating said screw at high speed, said screw having a helical flight extending through not more than one pitch whereby said flight acts as an impeller to throw snow axially and out through said open upper end rather than as a conveyor.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,4 0,652 Burris Jan. 15, 1924 1,690,000 Fahrney Oct. 30, 1923 1,851,301 Bunnell Mar. 29, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 517,479 Canada Oct. 18, 1955 597,543 Canada May 10, 1960 P, ax 

3. A SNOW CLEARING DEVICE MOUNTABLE ON A VEHICLE TO BE PUSHED THEREBY ALONG A PATH TO BE CLEARED, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE, A CASING ON SAID FRAME HAVING A WALL DEFINING A PASSAGE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PATH AND INCLINED UPWARDLY AND TO ONE SIDE OF THE PATH WITH THE UPPER END OF THE PASSAGE OPEN, A SCOOP FIXED TO SAID CASING AND HAVING SIDE WALLS DIVERGING FORWARDLY FROM THE CASING, THE LATTER HAVING AN INLET OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID PASSAGE AND WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID SCOOP WHEREBY SAID DIVERGING WALLS CAM SNOW INWARDLY AND INTO THE LOWER END OF THE PASSAGE AS THE DEVICE IS ADVANCED ALONG SAID PATH, A SCREW DISPOSED IN SAID PASSAGE ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF AND JOURNALED ON THE DEVICE TO ROTATE ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE PASSAGE, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SCREW AT HIGH SPEED, SAID SCREW HAVING A HELICAL FLIGHT EXTENDING THROUGH NOT MORE THAN ONE PITCH WHEREBY SAID FLIGHT ACTS AS AN IMPELLER TO THROW SNOW AXIALLY AND OUT THROUGH SAID OPEN UPPER END RATHER THAN AS A CONVEYOR. 